Avoiding Blackberry Thumb
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Tom Conlon points out that your gadgets can make you sick.
In particular, the diminutive keyboards on Blackberrys, Treos, Sidekicks and other QWERTY keyboarded phones can wreak havoc on one’s ability to signal approval with a good old “thumbs up.” Pain, numbness, swelling and tendonitis are all symptoms of what the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) officially recognizes as “Blackberry Thumb,” caused by overworking the one digit that separates us from the apes.
His solutions seem a little onerous:
Avoid Blackberry Thumb by typing with your fingers instead of your thumbs, and not typing for more than few minutes at once. If you’re already stricken with the ailment, several massage therapists now offer massages specifically for the treatment of Blackberry Thumb.
A much better solution would be to avoid using your fingers or your thumbs. No, we’re not suggesting you should use your feet, although HP may be thinking about that.
You’re dealing with a device that’s designed to handle sound. Why not go with the latest speech technology and tell your mobile device what to do. Even if current performance may be somewhat less than ideal, in a few months or years it will be perfected. Using your voice is unlikely to cause any ill effects. So let’s hear it.
Related:
Blackberry Thumb: When Communication Hurts
Walking On The Mobile Web
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BPWrap
November 30th, 2007 at 2:58 am
i know what that is. I remember from when i was a youngin. back then it was called nintendo thumb
February 9th, 2009 at 11:12 am
This is hilarious. I have huge fingers and accidentally hit buttons sometimes while texting.
May 4th, 2009 at 7:56 am
Wow. Really? First it’s Blackberry Thumbs, now it’s Swine Flu. What’s next? I can hardly wait to find out.